Helen Bleazard
Welsh footballer (born 1990)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Helen Bleazard (born 14 August 1990) is a former English–born footballer who played for the Welsh national team and Yeovil Town. She previously played in the FA WSL for Bristol Academy and Chelsea Ladies. Bleazard usually plays as a wide midfielder or forward and switched allegiance to Wales after playing for England at youth level.
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Helen Bleazard playing for Wales in September 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Helen Bleazard[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 14 August 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Yeovil, England | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2004 | Yeovil Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2005 | Yeovil Town | ||
| 2005–2007 | Bristol City | ||
| 2007–2008 | Bristol Academy | ||
| 2008–2010 | Keynsham Town | ||
| 2010 | Yeovil Town | 6 | (0) |
| 2011 | Bristol Academy | 23 | (9) |
| 2012–2013 | Chelsea | 33 | (8) |
| 2013–2017 | Yeovil Town | 75 | (13) |
| 2018–2022 | Plymouth Argyle | 44 | (20) |
| 2022–2025 | AFC Bournemouth | ? | (?) |
| International career | |||
| 2011–2015 | Wales | 43 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:45, 28 Apr 2020 (UTC) | |||
Bleazard was appointed manager of the AFC Bournemouth women's team in September 2025 following her retirement after 3 seasons with said squad, the retirement of long-term manager Steve Cuss and a short stint as interim manager.[2][3] The team had been promoted to FA Women's National League Southern Premier, the 3rd tier of English soccer, for the first time.
Club career
After joining local side Yeovil Town at the age of nine, Bleazard eventually moved on to FA Women's Premier League club Bristol City at the end of season 2004–05.[4]
Bleazard signed a contract with FA WSL club Bristol Academy in February 2011.[citation needed] She helped the club qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time, by scoring in a 3–0 FA Women's Cup semi–final win over Liverpool at Haig Avenue.[5] At the FA Women's Cup final at the Ricoh Arena in May 2011 Bleazard struck the crossbar with a free kick, but Bristol were beaten 2–0 by Arsenal.[6]
In February 2012 Bleazard signed for Bristol's WSL rivals Chelsea.[7] She played for her new club in the 2012 FA Women's Cup Final, but they lost to Birmingham City on penalties after a 2–2 draw. After two seasons with Chelsea, Bleazard agreed a deal to return to Yeovil, whose application to the new second level of an enlarged WSL has been successful. Yeovil's chairman was enthused by the transfer, describing Bleazard as: "the best female player the town of Yeovil has ever produced."[8]
International career
Bleazard represented England at Under–17 level,[9] and was called into the Under–20 squad during the 2008–09 season.[10] She was also selected for the England college team while attending Yeovil College.[11]
Bleazard later switched her footballing allegiance to Wales and was named on the standby list for their March 2011 Algarve Cup campaign.[12] Bristol Academy teammates Jessica Fishlock and Alex Culvin joked that Bleazard's eligibility for the Welsh national team arose from "her Nan's Sister's Brother's Aunty."[13]
Bleazard won her first senior cap for Wales playing on the left–wing in a 2–0 friendly defeat to New Zealand, played in Savièse on 15 June 2011.[14]
